Welcome to the Write Time Cat, ready to share some of what you've learned with the rest of us? First off, tell us just a little bit about yourself.

I am in my mid-twenties and I graduated with a BA in
Anthropology and a minor in Humanities. The name I go by is Cat and I love to
write about the apocalypse, but not in the biblical sense of the word. Any sort
of dystopian, end of the world stories seriously interest me. I guess it has a
lot to do with being part of the rat race of life, trying to climb the great
ladder of success.

Tell us about your route
to success – how/when did you decide to self-publish? Did you query an
agent first? How did you handle the editing, proofreading, cover design,
etc.

I queried an agent first. During
the querying process, for one reason or another, I decided to self-publish the
book. After that, I asked around for editors and was recommended I try Faith Williams
of The Atwater Group. She's fantastic! The cover design, like I said before,
was done through Caterina Grandy and a friend. After that, self-publishing
through Amazon and the other vendors wasn't too hard.

What are the most
important elements of good writing?

The most important elements to good
writing, in my opinion, are when I get an emotional response from the reader.
Being eloquent and coming up with a great idea doesn't mean anything to me if
my readers don't cry, laugh, get angry, and gasp throughout the book. I also
like plot twists, so I also try to surprise the reader.

What tools are must-haves
for writers?

Laptops and the internet. You have
to have both to build your platform through social media, do research, and
write a good manuscript.

Do you have any advice for
other writers?

Have patience and success will come
to you.

What do you feel is the
key to your success?

Working hard. I'm not a quitter, so
if someone tells me I have to re-write a scene, I'll re-write it.

Do you have anything
specific that you want to say to your readers?

Don't give up and make true friends
that share the same passion of writing.

What are your current /
future project(s)?

I have a manuscript titled Death's
List that I want to query and I'm almost finished with the first draft of
Biohazard Tattoo, book #2 of the Zombie Trilogy.

Is there anything else
you’d like to share?

Like what you write because if you
don't like it, your readers won't either.

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Speculitive Fiction Member Since 2011

About Me

I've lived from New York to California, Washington to Texas, and several places in between. Love the Rocky Mountains, where I spent over 18 years, and I enjoy the heartland. I currently reside in Mississippi with my wife and two of my five children and two cats. A dog would be most welcome, but my wife is not overly fond of critters, she and the cats tolerate one another.
I write Speculative Fiction, mainly Fantasy, and Science Fiction. My current project is an epic fantasy that has a mind of its own.
I also enjoys photography, camping, reading, good movies, and of course telling fun stories.